The 99th Game Was Mine All Along novel Chapter 59

Mom and Mr. Lancelot knew Jocelyn was coming to dinner. They'd been cooking up a storm since noon.

When Lorian arrived with Jocelyn, my parents handed her a card containing a ridiculous ten million dollars—just a casual "welcome to the family" gift.

I pretended to be sick so I could just chill in my room.

But Lorian came up anyway, carrying a gift box wrapped in silver paper.

As he slipped a bracelet onto my wrist, he pulled out a blue rose—still warm from being tucked against his body.

He dropped to one knee, his eyes full of what I used to mistake for love.

"I know, being with me but can't show up like a proper couple isn’t easy. But after the wedding, I'm still your brother. And I'll be living with you, just like before—I'll always be here for you."

"Sylvia, don't be mad at me, okay? Please?"

I looked down at the Hermès logo on the bracelet. It was literally the free gift that came with Jocelyn's handbag.

"Whatever. I'm not mad."

"Let's go eat. They've been cooking all day for this."

Congratulatory voices floated up from downstairs. Mom stood awkwardly by the table, treated more like hired help than family.

Lorian casually ordered her around—serve this, ladle that soup.

The rage building in my chest finally exploded.

I gathered every gift he'd given me over six years and hurled them into the trash.

As the garbage can tipped over, Jocelyn appeared in my doorway.

Seeing the mess on the floor, she smiled like a cat that got the cream.

"Aww, what's wrong? Can't handle reality?"

"Sylvia, you're even more pathetic than I imagined."

"Well, what else comes from a whore but trash? Watching your own mom run around like a damn maid, not even able to sit at the table—must suck, huh?"

I stared at her, ice in my veins. "What exactly are you trying to say?"